Tuesday, May 23, 2017

March 24, 2017 - Austin, TX to Stonewall, TX

The morning sky looked very threatening and the weather forecast called for rain. We did not fix our breakfasts because we were going to meet friends at Cracker Barrel Restaurant in Buda, TX, about 9 miles south from the state park.

It was good to see Char, our good friend from Washington State. She introduced us to her friends, who came along with Char. They were raised in Minnesota, but now live in Texas.

Vickie, Char, Erwin and I

We stopped at HEB near Cracker Barrel to pick up stuff we needed before we leave Austin, TX. This store was not as big or fancy as the one we went to on South Lamar St in Austin. They did not have fresh guacamole dip or fancy cheeses/crackers. We got gas ($1.99) for the Jeep at HEB gas station.

After getting back to the state park and putting groceries away we discussed about finding a campground in Fredericksburg, TX for tonight and maybe tomorrow night. Fredericksburg KOA was fuly booked, so Erwin made three calls (no luck).

We left McKinney Falls State Park at 1 pm for Fredericksburg, TX. While enroute Erwin made some calls to RV parks in Fredericksburg and all had no available sites. I looked up RV Parky app, checked reviews on other campgrounds. Peach Country RV Park is in Stonewall, TX, about 12 miles to the town center of Fredericksburg, and Erwin called to check about sites. The office said they had some available sites. Little pricey, but we had no choice. We could boondock somewhere in Fredericksburg, but we did not want to.

We got on 290 West and there was a traffic jam that got us delayed for about 15 minutes. We went through the town of Dripping Springs, TX. So surprised to see how much the town has grown since the last time we visited.

We went by Johnson City, TX, the hometown of President Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ). It was founded by James Polk Johnson, LBJ’s uncle. It is about 30 miles east of Fredericksburg, TX.

We pulled into Peach Country RV Park little after 2: 30 pm, checked into the office. The lady was very pleasant and is an artist. We were assigned to site #32 (pull-through).

Not much trees around, but the area was well-maintained. It is ideally situated between Johnson City and Fredericksburg, TX.

After setting up the Lil’ Home we immediately left for a drive on Willow City Loop. Without double checking the map we went on 965 to Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. When we got closer to Enchanted Rock we realized that we were on the wrong route, pulled over to check the map. Banging our heads! We should have gotten on N. State Highway 16. There was no roads connecting between 965 and 16 where we stopped, so we had to continue driving north to meet Route 16.

There was a sign pointing where Willow City Loop (RR 1323) is. It is 12 miles north of Fredericksburg and is the gateway to the scenic 13 mile loop that is a favorite of locals and tourists for beautiful country drive. It is maintained by the county; however all the lands are privately owned. We were hoping to see the abundance of wildflowers, such as bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush and more. The best time to visit Willow City Loop is during the Wildflower season (March through May). We were disappointed it was not as awesome like it was last year. Perhaps in a week or two there will be more. We would not advise you to drive the Loop during weekends due to bumper to bumper traffic.

On way back to Fredericksburg I looked up to see if there is an historic cemetery in the town. Yes, there is one, and I gave Erwin the directions. While on the road toward the cemetery there were old log cabins, but are not privately owned.

While in the cemetery I did not get out of the car to walk among the graves to take pictures of because the sun was going down. Maybe I’ll come alone tomorrow after I drop Erwin off at a laundromat either tomorrow or Sunday morning.

After supper we took a leisurely stroll around the campground, checking out every RV, met with a fellow camper from CA who was on his way to Louisiana.

It is supposed to be very sunny tomorrow, so I am going to do my homework and see what attractions we can visit tomorrow.~Edith

About Me

Erwin was born in Minnesota, went to/graduated from Minn Deaf School. Spent 11 years working for General Electric before he decided to become a welder.
Edith was born in Florida. Went to/graduated from FL School for the Deaf. Graduated with B.S. in Home Economics from Gallaudet College (now University).
Worked as a management analyst for Dept of Agriculture, retired after 31 years of service. Moved back to FL in 2004. Sold our house in 2016 to start RVing full-time.